Question If you could start all over again, which seats would you purchase?

mom of six

Active member
I just found out that one of my best friends is expecting her first baby. I have long been a car seat geek so she is looking to me for advise on car seats for her new addition. So, as I was thinking about what to recommend I realized that with the changing trend to ERF that may change which seats are recommended for the infant to baby to toddler stages. Specifically the buckets. In my baby-having-years it seemed that the trend was to get a bucket that would get your baby through their rear-facing period (about a year or so). Now with the push for RF-until-at-least-2 would it be better to recommend a lower-weight-limit bucket such as the SR22 and have her move the baby into a higher-weight-rear-facing convertible sooner or suggest the higher-weight buckets to begin with and delay the move to the convertible?

Since this is my friends first baby and she is an older first-time mom she is a sponge for information. I am going to encourage her to rear-face until at least three so I would like some recommendations on which bucket and which convertible you would choose knowing what you know now. She has a 2008 Chevy Equinox and he has a Dodge Nitro. Not sure of the year on the Dodge. They plan to have at least 2 kids kind of close together so handing down car seats will be a consideration as well. I would say her budget is mid-range. Not crazy expensive like the Foonf but more than the Scerena.

So, to simplify...in today's market, with a goal of rear facing to at least 3 and wanting to use a bucket in the infant stage which infant seat and which convertible(s) would you recommend?
 
ADS

atw

New member
Eh. I would still do a bucket, but switch out of it when I do, much earlier than one year. I do babywear, but I don't love not having a place to put a baby in a rest room or restaurant. I don't relish waking sleeping babies, and I don't like getting them out in the winter. I think the $$ is well worth it, even for the short 6-7 months I used it. However, I might skip all the extra bases and start with a Pria in addition to the bucket for a secondary car.

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agave

New member
I really liked having both from the start. My kids wake up as soon as I stop the car and want out of the seat now so the only reason I would take an infant seat out of the car after they can sit up would be if I needed to pee and the kid couldn't stand yet.

If I was starting over I'd either start with a convertible or get a long lasting infant seat and a convertible. Put infant seat in my car and convertible in DH's car after about 6 months switch the convertible to my car and make the infant seat the spare until #2 arrives.
 

laurengt

Active member
I am planning to use a bucket again with #2 and move around 6-7 mos to the convertible. For us the 1st time around we used the SR32 and moved to Radians. I'm not sure what bucket we will use the 2nd time around -- probably whatever I can get a good deal on that is either a Snug ride, Key Fit, or the Primo Viaggio, because those are the seats that UPPAbaby makes adapters for to use with the Vista. And then we will most likely be moving to Radians again, because we have them and love them and they fit nicely in our cars and next to each other.

Your friend, if the babies are close enough together, will want to consider convertible seats (and convertible and bucket together) that fit nicely next to each other, since she will likely have 2 RF at the same time.
 

Kel

Well-known member
Hi Heather, I also have 6 kids close to your kids ages. Mine are DS1 13, DS2 11 ,DS3 8.5, DD1 5.5, DS4 2, DD2 5mos.

I like the bucket seats for eating out and things like that. I just switched my 5mo old to a coccoro in both vans last week. She could have used It for a long time but I ware her most the time now that shes awake more. I have switched each baby earlier and earlier It seems.

I "think" I may skip the bucket next time. If I would have had better carriers I would have worn my older kids more. I didn't know better then due to lack of internet, lol. I have a beco and use It daily.

So....I would buy a coccoro and later replace It with a RN, and pass the CCO down to baby #2.

Kelley
 

jacqui276

New member
I like the bucket seat but both of my kids always fell asleep in the car and it is nice not having to wake them when I get to my destination. It is also nice to keep them in it at restaurants until they are old enough to sit up on their own and sit in a high chair.

I am sad that DS is just about outgrowing his bucket seat since it is so convenient!
 

sparkle3116

New member
I like the bucket seat but both of my kids always fell asleep in the car and it is nice not having to wake them when I get to my destination. It is also nice to keep them in it at restaurants until they are old enough to sit up on their own and sit in a high chair.

I am sad that DS is just about outgrowing his bucket seat since it is so convenient!

:yeahthatlove:

I initially got a SR 22 for my baby b/c I figured why have the extra weight and expense of a higher weight-limit infant seat when I'll switch to a convertible early, I'll wear him, etc...:rolleyes:.. Turns out I loved not having to wake him up to run into the post office for 2 minutes and it clicked so nicely into my city mini stroller :love:, so I ended up buying a 2nd, higher-weight (though really it was a height issue) bucket anyway instead of moving him into the Marathon like I had planned.

Some of it was weather-related for me too, though. My son was a June baby, so about the time I thought I would be moving him out of the infant seat it was starting to get really cold here in Chicago. I ended up keeping him in the infant seat until February (when he was 8 months old) partlt because it was much easier for me to put a cover over him in the seat than to bundle him up every time we got out of the car.
 
V

VanIsleMommy

Guest
I got a cheap bucket (onboard) but even then I couldn't lift it when she was 15 pounds. I did like how it fit her except it has no harness covers and not much padding for her back. I was going to skip it but it was handy for quick trips, she never stayed asleep though.

If I did it again I would get a britax convertible from the start, unless you have a teeny tiny baby. The myride isn't bad either but needs a crotch roll.
 

newyorkDOC

New member
I'd probably do one bucket with 2 bases for mom and dad's car. Are the swapping daycare drop off or something? The reason I'd get a bucket and base (at least 1) is bc when number 2 comes along, it'll be easier to just have to snap the NB in and do up the buckle of the then toddler. Otherwise you're looking at doing up 2 buckles every time which is time consuming and sucks in bad weather.

If one parent won't be driving LO frequently then I like the idea of putting a convertible in that car. I probably wouldn't get a britax as the new ones have shorter shells. She'd need something like a myride, pria, or radian (not sure how the size4me fits NBs?).

As to when they make the switch, that's entirely personal. Will they use the bucket in a stroller? Are they looking at strollers like the BJCS or b-agile? I'm just wondering if they're going to want to use that bucket in tandem mode at some point. So like if want one that's compatible with those systems.
 

Ninetales

New member
I wouldn't change what I did - a high weight bucket until the baby seems ready to sit more upright, or is outgrown, or I get tired of it. I like the convenience of a bucket, particularly since my babies don't seem to love being worn in the early days.

Elsa was born in February so I was glad to be able to buckle and cover her up inside that first winter and the next. Oscar will get at least one winter in it too.

If I'd known Elsa was not going to slow down her weight until she actually *hit* 40 lbs I'd have bit the bullet and got a Radian right off. Or saved money for a Peg or Foonf.
 

bnsnyde

New member
I found that I felt silly buying anything less than an infant bucket with a really high weight and height limit...but then reality always hits and he never stays in it long because he gets too heavy! And it's easier to put him in a RF convertible, which I'd need anyway to rear-face to at least 3.

So I usually do the infant bucket for 6-7 months and then do the RF convertible.

Though, a larger infant bucket doesn't really have a downside as long as it fits. If one goes up to 22 lbs. and another 30, it's still an infant bucket. :)
 

Brianna

New member
Well since I've picked out most of J's seats anyways I'll answer.

I would never get a rear adjust bucket again. I'd probably start with a KF22 and then do everything else the same. MyRide and Triumph for convertibles (or maybe the S4M70 in place of the MR) with a Tribute for a spare, then switch to a Nautilus/Argos and Frontier for FF and keep the convertibles for spares.

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bnsnyde

New member
Hmmm... a 40 lb. infant bucket. I just saw that last post. OK, NOW I might be changing my mind, lol. That might be totally awesome!!!

That's a HUGE difference, to 40 lbs. And you'd never have to worry about waking baby up. (Though it's not like you'd have to carry it around with a 35+ lb. kid if you didn't want to; I don't think I could, even out of the car!) But does it have the shell height to fit a larger baby/tot?
 

Phineasmama

New member
Well I got a Cybex Aton this time around and I LOVED it, I wish I could use it again! But no more babies for us :)

And for ERF I have been using the Radian for a couple years now, although I upgraded my 80SLs to the RXT. I know some people are anti Radian but I plan on using them for the baby until she's at least 4, I really like them.
 

gsdguenter

Well-known member
I liked my choices :)

If we have another I'll get an infant bucket again, but only 2 bases instead of three. I'd put a base in my mom's car and DH's car. Then I'd get a CCO for my car.

I use the bucket until they can sit up on their own and I don't feel like carrying it around anymore. So, 4-6 months I think (can't really remember lol).

I had a sungride before and would either get that again or maybe a keyfit. Or, depending on stroller choice maybe a b-safe (that's the infant seat, right).

What I would change was that I had the travel system before. This time I'd get a different stroller, but not sure which one.
 

jacqui276

New member
If she gets an infant seat, I would also have her pick out one that she truly likes instead of grabbing whatever the best deal is.
I had a cheap one for DS at first (Dorel Designer 22 without the front adjust harness) and I HATED it. I bought it because I got the whole travel system for $90 (the stroller sucked too). When he was 2 months old we were in a car accident so I replaced it and decided to buy a nicer one (got my via) and I couldn't believe how much more I loved all of the convenience features (especially the front adjust harness! :p). I cheaped out on DD's too ($70 for a Graco travel system back then, also without front adjust harness) so going from that to a good bucket seat was huge. I used to always have the opinion that it all met the same standards so why bother paying more but have learned that sometimes the more expensive ones are just so much more convenient and easier to use!

I still carry DS around in his bucket seat even though he is 22lbs. He has almost outgrown it in height which makes me sad. I am excited to start using my convertible seats that I bought full time though.
 
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G

guest1

Guest
We used a bucket and we went with the KeyFit 22 and I wouldn't change anything there. Loved that seat.

Then we bought a Complete Air but quickly re-sold it and purchased a Radian. I think we'd skip buying the CA and just buy another Radian - OR another seat that will RF for a long time. In Canada, we don't have as many options as you guys do in the US :)
 

mom2ari

New member
I would recommend a 30lb+ front adjust bucket over the 22s because she may like the option of using the bucket past 22lbs. It is convenient, though heavy, of the rare occasion I have wanted to carry (or have DH carry) the kids in the house cause they fell asleep in the car and should not be woken up. She can always decide to ditch the bucket before 30lbs. My kids tend to get to 22lbs fast, but from 22-30 takes much longer. I just love having the option of continuing to use the bucket even though it stays in the car 99% of the time once they can sit up well on their own and/or we get past the first winter.

I'd also wait on the covertable to see what comes out when she needs it. The new Chicco convertable looks awesome, so I'd hold out to see if it lives up to the hype.
 

Malka

New member
I have the Snugride 22, which lasts forever for my tiny babies, but the rear adjust is a huge pain. I'm going to be using it for my LO due in the winter, but if money was no object I'd get another one with front adjust. And then probably a radian after that. Right now I have a britax roundabout 50, which is fine and really user friendly, but I like how tall and low my radian is, so my kids will fit practically forever. I'll get another one when this baby outgrows the snugride. I'll have three rearfacing at once(3.5, almost 2, newborn)!
 

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